Senate swears in Lalong as Plateau South senator

By Haruna Salami

Simon Lalong on Wednesday at plenary took his oath of office and allegiance as senator representing Plateau South.

His swearing-in followed his declaration as the winner of the Plateau -South Senatorial election by the Appeal Court.

The Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath of office and oath of allegiance on Lalong.

It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party winner of the election with 148,844 votes, while Lalong scored 91, 674 to come second in the February 25 elections.

However, Lalong asked the tribunal to nullify Bali’s election because the PDP did not have a proper party structure and, therefore, could not file candidates for the elections.

The tribunal, in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Muhammad Tukur, said the PDP, having no structure, lacked the right to have taken part in the election.

The National Chairman of APC, Umar Ganduje who accompanied Lalong to the National Assembly for the ceremony expressed happiness that the number of APC senators has increased after the swearing-in of Simon Lalong as senator representing Plateau South, adding that they will make good laws that will improve the socio-economic development and security situation of the country.

In his remarks, Senator Simon Lalong thanked his people of Plateau South for giving him the mandate to serve them in this capacity and promised not to disappoint them as he has always done.

Lalong said he decided to resigned as Minister of Labour and Employment after consultation with President Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) after the Court of Appeal Abuja upheld his election as the duly elected senator.